Early morning call for the Sheerness RNLI lifeboat

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ launched at 2.08am on Monday 27 August to a report from Kent Police that a man was adrift in a tiny dinghy in the area of Gillingham Pier in the River Medway.

The lifeboat was on the scene at 2.34 am and quickly located the casualty who it is believed had taken to the water in the tiny craft to go and look for another dinghy, which had either broken or been cut adrift earlier, when he got into difficulties.

The lifeboat crew took the man and his dinghy back to the safety of Gillingham Pier where the Medway Coastguard Rescue Team and a Kent Police crew were waiting.

The ILB was back on station and ready for service at 3.25am.

Wind SW force 4 to 5

Ends

RNLI media contacts

Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 [email protected] / [email protected]

Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07785296252

For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.